The Cast of “Roseanne” Reacts to the Show’s Axing

From Good Housekeeping

On Tuesday, ABC canceled the reboot of Roseanne, which had been picked up for a second season, after star Roseanne Barr tweeted a racist message about former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett.

"Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show," ABC said in its statement. Now, the cast and crew of the show, which broke ratings records, is speaking out about the network’s decision to end the show.

John Goodman, who played Dan, wouldn't reveal much of what he thought of the news when speaking to an Entertainment Tonight reporter. "It's not that I disrespect you guys, but I just – I would rather say nothing than to cause more trouble," he said. Later, he said, "I wasn't gonna get an Emmy anyway. I've been up there [11] times already, and if I didn't get one, I'm not gonna get one."

Alicia Goranson, who played Becky, tweeted on her private account about the show getting canceled. "Devastated by the cancellation of [Roseanne]," she tweeted, according to Deadline. "But more devastating are the effects of hate speech and racism on individuals and society. Thank you for your support. And, in the spirit of our amazing crew, spread love not hate!"

Michael Fishman, who played Roseanne's son D.J., tweeted he was "devastated" by the show getting canceled, but still condemned Barr's remarks. "Our cast, crew, writers, and production staff strived for inclusiveness, with numerous storylines designed to reflect inclusiveness," he wrote. "The words of one person do not exemplify the thinking of all involved."

Emma Kenney, who played Roseanne’s granddaughter Harris, said she was “hurt, embarrassed, and disappointed” by Barr’s tweet. She also said she was about to quit the show before she learned it was canceled, in a now-deleted tweet.

Sara Gilbert, who played Roseanne’s daughter Darlene, tweeted before the show’s cancelation that Barr’s comments were “abhorrent.” She also distanced herself from Barr, saying the show is “separate and apart from the opinions and words of one cast member.”

Whitney Cummings, who was one of the top writers on the show’s first season, tweeted a message of support to Gilbert:

Wanda Sykes, who was a consulting producer on the show, had announced she would not be returning for Season 2 because of Barr's tweet.

The news comes after the show received incredibly high ratings for its return to television after 20 years off the air. The first episode had 18.2 million viewers, which made it the highest-rated comedy episode on any broadcast network in nearly four years.

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